Year: Originally 2014, after being tapped by the Yale Whiffenpoofs, a ’15!
College: Silliman
Hometown: Short Hills, NJ
Major: American Studies
Alex Ratner (’15), a member of the Yale community who is both musically and theatrically inclined, has recently become a part of the newest class of Whiffenpoofs. However, his talents extend beyond stage abilities—his sense of humor kept me laughing throughout the hour we spent together at Chocopologie. The locale was chosen as per his suggestion because “being fancy is more fun.” Perhaps it was his charm, his smile or his voice that caused us to interview Ratner as this week’s campus cutie, but I would argue that it’s his personality and sass that make him the perfect choice.
Her Campus: Congrats on your recent accomplishment! Tell us a little bit about the moment you found out you had become a member of the Whiffenpoofs.
Alex: Thank you! Sure, it’s a weird process. So when you audition you actually have to sign a contract that you will participate if chosen. The night they release the names of the newest members, they call you only if you don’t get in. Because of this tradition, on the Saturday or Sunday after auditions you’re praying that you don’t get a call. I was personally on my way back from a Duke’s Men gig and a friend asked me if I’d gotten a call from the committee—at that moment I knew I’d gotten it. We then discovered that every member of my class who had auditioned in the Duke’s Men, got it. Especially because we were all together, that night was just amazing.
HC: Do you know where you’ll be going yet?
AR: Actually, at the beginning of the year we start from scratch financially. There are some annual gigs that we are expected to do—for example we always go to Idaho. Those help us get on our feet to travel for the remainder of the year. This year our business manager is amazing so we’re not nervous at all about money.
HC: Okay, let’s do some rapid-fire questions. What’s your favorite song?
AR: To listen to? I. LOVE. ADELE. I’m a sucker for her. Turning Tables. My favorite song to sing is probably Glory Bound by Martin Sexton.
HC: Fun fact about yourself?
AR: When I was 10 years old I was the fastest breaststroke swimmer in the state of New Jersey…
HC: Favorite party theme?
AR: Diamonds and denim. Like a bar mitzvah theme.
HC: Celebrity crush?
AR: Boy or girl? Let’s do both. Girl–I don’t want to be obvious but like…Beyonce. She’s god’s gift to humanity. Boy–Joseph Gordon Levitt. Wait it’s a tie. Hugh Jackman. I guess it depends what you’re in the mood for. They represent different kinds of decadence.
HC: Embarrassing moment at Yale?
AR: Oh my god…Actually I don’t get embarrassed easily…this is college…it’s the time to be ridiculous. If not now, when?
HC: Ideal Date?
AR: I would be really classy. The realistic option would be to go for a nice dinner to Ibiza, Zinc or Barcelona. The real answer is …well…I’ve always wanted to go on a date in Casablanca and blend in with the populace. You know, go to some hip party in Morocco. NO wait. Egypt. A camel ride in the desert with a picnic in the middle of nowhere.
HC: Let’s shift gears for a second, you mentioned that you had some incredible plans for the summer. Do you know what you will be doing?
AR: So last April, Cleo Handler and I put up an original musical at Yale using the stories of JD Salinger—stories like Franny and Zooey, A Perfect Day for Bananafish, Raise High the Roof Beam etc. We plan to have a stage reading in early June in NYC. Basically that means that we have actors get familiar with the script, rehearse through late May/early June. We will rent a space in New York and perform the reading in front of mentors and people in the business in order to workshop it. The reading will create the possibility of allowing us to commercially produce the show with the help of the Salinger Estate.
HC: Good luck, that sounds incredible! Now…here comes the most important question—why are Yale girls great?
AR: Because they wow me in section AND on the dance floor. Also, they’re great to go shopping with…